The Diamonds have teamed up with national bingo chain CLUB3000’s outlet in Coatdyke to provide some unique interval entertainment this Saturday.

Airdrieonians players join mascot Rocky the Rooster and bingo club assistant manager David Hendry to promote the event.

It’s eyes down for a full house at New Broomfield this Saturday.

For football fans attending Airdrieonians’ final game of the season against Arbroath will be able to play bingo at half-time.

The Diamonds have teamed up with national bingo chain CLUB3000’s outlet in Coatdyke to provide some unique interval entertainment.

Punters will be given bingo cards and markers as they pass through the turnstiles and the numbers will be called from 3.50pm.

The game should take no longer than seven minutes, with a Playstation 4 the prize for the first full house called.

The idea is the brainchild of Diamonds commercial manager John Drysdale and league bosses confirmed they have never heard of anything like it before.

“They say there’s no such thing as a new idea but I think this one actually is,” John said.

“We’re always looking to do something different at Airdrie.

“I asked if they’d ever thought about running bingo games from somewhere else and it grew from there.”

He added: “It can work here as everybody is sitting in the main stand, facing the same way, and that gives it a theatre feel.

“We came up with half-a-dozen problems but we have solved them all.

“It should take between five and seven minutes, even allowing for the numbers being called a bit more slowly.

“I spoke to the guys at the Scottish Professional Football League and they have never heard of this before.”

The event was promoted at the stadium last Thursday, with mascot Rocky the Rooster joining Diamonds players Chris O’Neil, Liam Coogans and Grant Adam and bingo hall assistant manager David Hendry.

And future games might be on the cards if the fans get their numbers up.

“It will be nice to see this come together,” John said.

“If this helps attract a few more people because they fancy a game of bingo or want to win a Playstation 4 that’s great.

“But if it doesn’t? It will still have been good fun to do.

“It will put a smile on a few people’s faces.

“It’s costing absolutely nothing in financial terms. There is nothing to lose.”

Coatdyke’s CLUB3000 boss Alistair MacBride added: “We want to show bingo as a bit of fun and as entertainment for everyone in and around the community – not just confined to our own 2000-seater hall. Giving football fans the chance to play and the incentive of a great prize for the winner helps us do just that.”

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